For 70 years, Relais & Châteaux has been offering milestones along Routes du Bonheur to encourage guests to take their time, senses at the ready, as they discover pathways strewn with surprises, exploration and soul.

Watch deer grazing at the forest’s edge near Blois, in France; row across a crystal-clear Irish lake; gallop through the Argentine pampas with a gaucho; meditate in a temple in Kyoto; gather grapes near Cape Town as a winemaker guides your technique; or set off into the Canadian wilderness in search of bears and other wildlife. And, every evening, savor each destination’s unique art de vivre, rich with local tradition, feel the warmth of your hosts’ welcome, and delight in the many experiences each property offers–including, of course, fine dining, a true signature of our Association. Ten years after signing its Vision to “make a better world through cuisine and hospitality” at UNESCO, the Association is preparing to renew these commitments to ensure that travel–an ever-precious source of individual enrichment and pleasure–treads lightly upon our planet as we venture further with new understanding and shared responsibilities.